As a left-handed embroiderer, I like to celebrate International Left-Handers Day. As a left-handed embroidery teacher, I love having left-handed students (I love right-handed ones too, but the lefties are special!)

Today is World Embroidery Day. (If it isn’t yet 30th July where you are, it soon will be, and it is already here in Australia!)

When it is World Embroidery Day, I like to stitch in public. I didn’t know if I was going to have the chance today, but as it happens, I think I will. So join with me, wherever you are, in stitching in public, and enjoying World Embroidery Day!

In the past month, I had a bit of scare. My wrists started to hurt. For me, that sort of thing could be career ending!

When I realised that it was definitely a thing, and I wasn’t imagining it, I was very scared. So, off to the doctor I went. He diagnosed – and this is a wonderful mouthful – de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Impressive name, isn’t it?!

I was actually so relieved that it wasn’t Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He prescribed some anti-inflammatories, and told me not to do anything that made it worse. Easier said than done, seeing you don’t know that it’s going to make it worse until it is worse…

He said not to have physiotherapy, because a physiotherapist wouldn’t do much to help, and may make it worse.

With the use of the anti-inflammatories it has definitely been improving. I’ve been careful to stop stitching if it starts hurting. I’ve been using my embroidery hoop on a stand (I normally do anyway!) and alternating between having my dominant (left hand) and my non-dominant hand on top.

The Gymnast broke another finger about six weeks ago, and was under the care of a hand surgeon and a hand therapist (physiotherapist specialising in hands and wrists). When she was there, getting the all clear last week, I had a chat with the hand therapist about what I do.

I realise that for me, good hand and wrist health is absolutely imperative if I want to have a long and enjoyable career in embroidery. I explained what I do, and why I was wondering if they could help me – to see what I do when I embroider, and show me what I can do better in terms of movement. She assured me that they would be able to assist me.

So this morning, I went to see the hand therapist. She agreed with the doctor’s diagnosis of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. She showed me that some of the shapes I was able to make with my hands were not quite what they should be, and that continuing to use them in that way would mean that I’d be likely to develop arthritis in my thumbs as I got older. She also said that I have quite a lot of hypermobility in some places (which is not a good thing for stability of joints). I suggested this might be one reason why my daughter is such a good gymnast – because she inherited that hypermobility from me.

We’re thinking long term here – I want to be using my hands well so that I can continue using them, without pain, for a very long time yet!

She’s given me some exercises to do, which will help strengthen some of the muscles. While getting me to do them, I was thinking how appallingly badly I was at doing them. I could get hardly any of the movement she wanted to me to make at all. Some of the movement was barely perceptible. Conversely, she said I was catching on extremely quickly, whereas other people could take weeks to make the improvement I had already made while with her. She suggested this was another reason why my daughter might be such a good gymnast!

She then got me to put the needle into my hand and make the same shapes again, that she’d been trying to get me to make before. I couldn’t do it! So we dispensed with that, and I’ll continue to sew as I always have, but regularly do my exercises, and when I’m better at making those shapes without the needle, we’ll try it with the needle. And when I do, it will definitely slow me down as I try to do it with the right hand shapes!

It’ll be slow progress, but as long as I regularly do my exercises without cheating, I’ll make progress. I officially give you permission to email me, comment here, or comment on my FB page to ask “Have you done your exercises yet today, Yvette?!” I’m investing in a long and enjoyable career, and while it will be hard, it will be totally worth it!

And finally, I again have all sizes of the Klass and Gessmann wooden hoops with stands back in stock. Hurrah! They come in 6 inch/15cm, 7 inch/17.5cm, 8 inch/20cm, 10 inch/25cm, 11 inch/27.5cm, and 12 inch/30cm. I’ve been waiting on some of these sizes for several months, so it is good to have them all again.

It’s winter school holidays here, and while my daughters are at home, I have embarked upon a new project. The Reader is in Year 12 this year (final year of schooling), and that means special end of school things, such as the Year 12 Formal later this year. I offered to make her formal dress, and because she’s around for fittings, school holidays is an excellent time to get started.

So far, I have drafted the bodice pattern and made three toiles. The third toile fitted very nicely. I then transferred that pattern onto the fabric and have begun the embroidery. She’s having a teal green dress, with chiffon skirt, and an embroidered bodice.

The colours on this are really weird and nothing like what they really are!

The embroidery uses peacock feather motifs. There is satin fabric, silk dupion fabric, cotton fabric, beads, mini sequins, metallic threads, shiny rayon threads… so far. I’m doing the appliqué and the beading while the bodice pattern is flat and mounted on a frame. Then I will take it off the frame, sew up the darts, and work the remainder of the embroidery (probably mostly couched metal threads) in hand. I have to do it after sewing up the darts as the lines of couching will go across the darts.

In this class, for intermediate to experienced Hardanger stitchers, we will explore some of the stitches that were used in Hardanger in times past but have fallen out of regular usage. The biscornu will require some accurate satin stitch prior to class so that we can concentrate on the fun pulled and drawn thread work parts in class! The biscornu will not be finished within the class, but instructions will be provided for its construction. Alternatively you can use your imagination to finish it in any other way that you like.

We will be working on 36 count linen, so make sure you bring appropriate magnification and lighting. A kit will be supplied, including linen thread and linen fabric.

You can book a place in this class by contacting the Embroiderers’ Guild NSW. More information can also be found on the guild website. If you are interested in this class, I would register quickly, so as not to miss out. There was a lot of interest in the class at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair.

Unfortunately the winner of the Hardanger that I was stitching at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair, whose name I drew last week, did not contact me within the week (I even gave a few days extra!), so I have redrawn the prize. The new winner, again drawn totally at random, is Catherine Robinson.

Congratulations Catherine! Please contact me before the end of Wednesday 12th July to let me know where to send your prize!

If you’d like to stitch one of these embroideries for yourself, the pattern is the Biscornu from Early-Style Hardanger. This is a project I’ll be teaching a couple of times in the next year (details to come), so stay tuned if that interests you.

While I was at the show, any time I wasn’t serving customers, I was sitting at the front of my stand, stitching. This is because people are always interested to see someone doing needlework. It was like I had a four day long “Stitch in Public Day”. I find it interesting to note how many little girls stop to watch, when I’m doing embroidery. Some of them are instantly entranced, especially if it isn’t something they’ve ever seen anyone do before.

The piece that I was stitching was the Biscornu pattern from Early-Style Hardanger. Here it is nearly finished – all I have to do is cut the long eyelets. (Actually I thought I had finished it, until I realised I hadn’t yet cut them!)
I ran a competition during the show, so that for each $50 worth of products purchased from me, customers received one entry into my competition. The prize was the stitched embroidery.

After the show, I drew the winner randomly. The winner was Qinghua Zhou! Congratulations Qinghua! The winner was informed via email, and now has until the end of Monday 3rd July to contact me. If she doesn’t, the draw will be made again.

Stitching this piece was a lovely way to pass the time at the show, demonstrating embroidery, and it’s nice that I can give it away to someone who will appreciate it.

I asked my friends, family, FB fans and blog readers to vote for my entries, thinking that if we all banded together I *might* be able to win the People’s Choice awards. I came close! Thanks to everyone who voted for my entries, my lampshade came 5th in the People’s Choice, and my runner came 3rd. Thanks for voting for me, and for writing very encouraging comments!

After the voting closed, the staff at Fabrics-store.com then voted for their favourite design based on the creativity, originality and quality of the theme, and awarded the Grand Jury Winner. Amazingly, they chose my Hardanger runner! I am still quite shocked. And before you say (as many of my friends have) “Of course you’d win, Yvette” – no, not “of course” at all! There are many talented craftspeople out there, and I certainly didn’t expect mine to be chosen! However, I’m very grateful it was!

So, now I have some money to spend on the lovely linen at Fabrics-store.com. Thanks so much Fabrics-store!

At the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair on the weekend, I revealed the subject of my next historical embroidery book. Note, I did not say “historical whitework book”, and that’s because this time it is not whitework!

My next book will be entitled “Smøyg: Pattern Darning from Norway”, and the embroidery is done in full, fabulous colour! It is a counted embroidery though, so you can see its appeal to me. (And I do actually like colour. 🙂 )

If you are reading this in an email, you can watch the reveal video here.

At the craft show I had a display of three of the projects from the book. There will of course be more than that when it is finished! The three you can see in this photo are the very long colourful band sampler, the red cushion, and the little pendant to the left of the red Christmas stockings.

“Smøyg: Pattern Darning from Norway” will be published some time in 2018. I am not being any more specific than that. It will be done when it is done. There is no point in rushing it to have it ready for some particular occasion, when not rushing would make it a better book.

Of course, I will keep you all informed as things go along!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this book. Several people have said it wasn’t what they expected! If it wasn’t what you expected either, what did you expect?

There are a few of other things that I’ll have at this year’s Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair that I’ve added to the Vetty Creations product range in the last year, since the previous craft show. You’ll be able to see and touch them for the first time. Seeing in real life is a little different to seeing on a screen! And we all know that textiley people often like to see and touch – we’re visual, tactile people!

And of course, if you’re unable to make it to the show, you can order these products through the website, as always!

Hvitsøm pendant kits

Hvitsøm means “whitework” in Norway. It looks a little like Hardanger embroidery, but without the cutwork. This pretty little Hvitsøm pendant kit contains all you need to make your own beautiful hvitsøm pendant, including comprehensive step-by-step instructions. Buy it at the show, or order yours here.

Dovo Hardanger scissors

Dovo Hardanger scissors are simply gorgeous to use. Using them is like cutting butter, they’re so lovely and so smooth. They have been designed specifically for Hardanger, in that their points are very pointy and very sharp. It means you can get in close and cut threads without leaving whiskers. Of course, you can use them for any sort of embroidery – it doesn’t have to be Hardanger! Buy a pair at the show, or order your own Dovo Hardanger scissors here.

Vaupel and Heilenbeck Linen banding

V&H 981

V&H 975

V&H 950

V&H 2027

In preparing my stock list for the show (basing it on last year’s list) I realised that last year I only had one type of Vaupel and Heilenbeck linen banding available. Well, I’ve added more since then! I’m excited to show these gorgeous 28 count linen bandings to you. People often ask “what can I use them for?” You can use them for anything you like, but some suggestions are bookmarks, needlecases, potpourri sachets, curtain tie-backs, or an embroidered band across a skirt, bag, book or cushion. Does that help?! Purchase linen banding at the show, or you can order some here.

Weddigen linens

Weddigen 121 (50ct)

Weddigen 925 (40ct)

Weddigen 160 (34ct)

Weddigen 22 (50ct)

It was a total surprise to me to realise that I didn’t have the lovely Weddigen linens at last year’s craft show. I will this time! There is a range of linens, from 34 count, 40 count, and two types of 50 count linen (one is gauzy and see-through, the other is not). These fabrics are suitable for counted embroidery of many kinds, and non-counted embroidery too. For example, the 34 count is often recommended for Schwalm embroidery, and the gauzy 50 count linen is perfect for shadow embroidery. Buy these linens at the show, or purchase online here.

So, if you can, please visit me at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair. I’ll be at Vetty Creations Stand D06, at the International Convention Centre, Sydney. 22nd-25th June 2017, 9am-4:30pm daily.

To find me, enter through the front entrance, turn left, head to Aisle D, then I’ll be the second stand on the right. I’ll have an orange flag flying above the stand to help you find me. I’ve expertly marked my position on the map below.